Today is the 1st Anniversary of
Chandrayaan-1’s Moon Impact Probe reaching the Lunar Surface with the
tricolor Flag of India painted on all four sides. – India was
on the Moon! This date (of the impact) was chosen to honor former Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s Birthday. In his term, India’s Space
Program was launched in 1962.

On this day, we are pleased to announce the formation of The
Moon Society of India as an Autonomous Affiliate of The Moon Society
(International)

The founding Executive Committee has elected
Jayashree Sridhar (Chennai) as President, with Pradeep Mohandas
(Mumbai) as Secretary. Also involved are Srinivas Laxman (Mumbai) and
Avinash Siravuru (Vellore).

We will also be forming a Board of Advisors; in
addition to prominent Indians, , Peter Kokh, David Dunlop, and Madhu
Thangavelu from the International Moon Society International will be
included.

Our priorities include starting a network of
chapters throughout India, both city- and campus-based, and in the
coming year, to assume publication of the MMM-India Quarterly, which
publication has made this event possible.

We will be involved in conferences, contests and
competitions, and hope to build and operate an Indian Lunar Analog
Research Station – LARS-India.

And, of course, our efforts will focus on building public support
within India for the ISRO’s Space Exploration and Manned Space Programs.

We will work with Moon Society India to promote
exploration of the Moon, both robotic and human, the establishment of
an International Lunar Research Park (under whatever name) and earliest
utilization of lunar resources, involving settlement, for the benefit
of all mankind.